Set In Smoke: Resurrection
by bluehyperpixie
Summary: Finding out your reincarnated bodyguards of someone who could either destroy or save the world is hard enough to deal with. Finding out the guy is the same one who almost murdered your sister, makes it even worse... Third Generation of Potters. RE-EDITED
1. Prologue

**Hey I'm back with the edited version of Set In Smoke: Resurrection. I've already got to the penultimate chapter of this story so I will be updating regularly...if I get enough reviews *hint hint*. Let's get straight into it!**

**DISCLAIMER: If you recognise anything...realise I'm crying  
**

_Suddenly, the train juddered to a shrieking, shaking halt. The tense silence inside the second to last carriage of the train slipped into one of anxiety in the space of a second. All five of the faces inside the carriage already understood what was happening, and wondered if they could bring themselves to do what was required of them. _

_Almost imperceptibly Albus Severus Potter moved closer to his target. He had his own to play in all this. Pain would be a result but he was only an instrument. Suddenly the atmosphere was pierced by sharp, pained screaming almost immediately followed harsh panting. _

_"What's wrong? Hugo?" The voice came from somewhere but five of the children in the carriage were already moving past the question that had come unbidden from someone's lips. They already knew what was wrong, what Hugo was sensing that caused him such suffering. Such was the pain he felt, that he was hunched over himself and bile began to burst from his mouth. Only one thing could have caused Hugo such distress and where it was coming from was their main concern. _

_Hugo managed to force words from his mouth in a rasp stated, "I can't think! I can't tell where it's from. It's everywhere, smothering me." _

_As suddenly as the train had stopped, all the lanterns went out leaving them in the light of a night without stars. As the door to the carriage swung open and each of the five turned in horror as the silhouette figure smiled to grin smugly at them._

**Short, but hopefully in your opinion sweet! It's just the prologue. The other chapter will be much longer.**

**The next time you hear from me will be in your review reply *wink***

**xxbluehyperpixiexx  
**


	2. Chapter 1

**Hey I know I said I would update but I was hoping for a few more reviews before I did...No worries though, a promise is a promise so here is your first chapter.**

**Enjoy!**

--

'DO SOMETHING,' Hugo Granger-Weasley screamed at James. He was scared, terrified for his sister and it made him lose his usual cool.

'I don't know what to do. She's your sister,' James said quietly, his face pale and voice trembly. Lily noticed that her brother was close to panicking even though it didn't show and gently laid a hand on the small of his back comfortingly.

'I don't think we should touch her,' Albus Severus held on tightly to Hugo's arm to stop him leaping on his sister.

'My sister is having a fit on her bed,' Hugo's voice had dropped from the scream. Instead it was forced calm. He leaped on his sister, shook her viciously.

'Get off her,' James pulled him away sharply, 'do you _want_ to hurt her?' After a pause he laid a hand softly on his cousin's shoulder, 'We won't help her by panicking.' James shared a look with his brother Severus.

'I agree. I think that we should call Madame Pomfrey,' his brother looked at the rest of the group, 'this is out of our hands. Something is really wrong. We can't keep ignoring it'

It was the second time this had happened. All five of them shared a hall of residence and had woken last October to find Rose thrashing at something unseen, crying out in fear. Together, they held her arms and legs to the bed so she could not hurt herself and tried frantically to wake her. When she finally woke up she had grabbed at James, who was the closest and sobbed heavily into his shoulder for a good five minutes. Afterwards, she'd suddenly stopped, took a deep breath and stopped crying altogether. Since then, the others had taken their cues from her and ignored that it had ever happened.

It was March today, three weeks before Easter and Rose had suddenly collapsed to the floor once again. Her eyes were open and saw things they couldn't. She did not flail her arms this time but held them rigidly to her sides as if they were tied there and every now and then her legs would twitch almost involuntarily. From her throat low keening cries sounded. Though James would never admit it to anyone but Lily, he was scared shitless.

Albus Severus, though his mind was flying all over the place and his heart felt like it was going to fall out of his butt, noticed gratefully that his hands and body were perfectly steady. Like his brother, he was always calm in a crisis, unlike his brother however, his calm wasn't forced. It was as if his mind saw the crises and all his emotions, took a step back, leaving him completely composed. Though Rose looked like she was about to start crying, Severus saw the heavy set of her jaw, the way her lips had tightened. That slight frown between her eyebrows and nose flaring slightly, all signs that Rose wasn't planning to give up so easily. Rose may have had her mother's brains but she had her father's dogged determination. Like a slap, Severus remembered, the time Rose had taught him how to swim. He had been terrified of water all his life and refused to get into the lake. In the end Rose had got so exasperated, she had grabbed him and thrown him into the water. Severus looked at the figure of Rose on the bed; she'd hate the fact that she looked so desperate. A sudden rush of love and affection gushed through him. Rose was closer to him than Lily, they were as close as twins, and he wasn't going to let her down now. All these thoughts had hit him in the space of a blink, the way things did and he took charge.

'Forget Madam Pomfrey, go get Sakina, she's less likely to tell on us,' he instructed Lily, who glanced at James for permission before running quickly away.

'We've got to do something, to make her more comfortable,' Severus told his brother, 'Don't you know anything. James took his wand out from the holder on his forearm and sat next to Rose mumbling spells. Rose's eyes suddenly became heavy, though they didn't shut and her body lost its rigidity.

Severus started to panic, 'What did you do,' he asked.

James straightened and gave Severus a dangerous look. Severus suddenly remembered that James was the one usually in charge and took a step back mentally. As if James sensed the change in him he answered, 'A Soothing Spell for any pain, a Calming Charm for panic and Drowsiness to help her relax and rest,' he looked at Hugo, 'Go get damp a flannel. She's burning up,' he commanded. Hugo hastened to the adjoining bathroom. James sat on Lily's bed once more the cool, collected, unapproachable older brother and leader.

Severus ignored him and sat next to Rose. Placing one hand on her neck where the pulse beat fast and another in her palm, covering her wrist he tried to imagine that he was radiating calm waves right into her. _Stop being stupid_ he told himself. Instead Severus just dropped his head onto the pillow next to her and murmured into her ear, 'please wake up soon, Rose. You're really freaking me out. James is really pissing me off. Hugo's gone sort of sappy as well. If you don't get up soon, you know I'll have to tickle you awake?' Severus could almost hear Rose laugh in reply. He knew exactly what she would have said _you'd have to catch me first. _It's not as if you're the most amazing runner he'd reply. _But at least I'm faster than you. _You wish‼ _And smarter… _

**Will Rose survive? Am I mean enough to kill her in the first chapter?** **Wait and see**

**While you wait, why don't you review?**

**xxbluehyperpixiexx**


	3. Chapter 2

**Aww thanks for the reviews you guys. Shout out to LuvinDrewFuller and Eleni for their reviews. LDF because she's simply amazing and Eleni because she's not a user yet so I couldn't say thank you. Love to everyone who reviewed though.**

**DISCLAIMER: 'Nuff said**

Sakina burst into the room, followed quickly by a breathless Lily, "Where is she?" James pointed to the still figure of Roseline Anne Granger-Weasley on the bed. Next to her with his head bowed to the pillow, was Severus.

"When did she shut her eyes," asked Lily, moving to stand next to her brother as Sakina began to examine Rose gently, taking her pulse, lifting her eyelids and pressing parts of her body.

"Five minutes or so, what took so long," James asked in his usual curt tone. No way was he going to admit that he felt a lot more comfortable now that his sister was back.

"It's two thirty in the morning. It was difficult avoiding patrol," Lily answered him quietly.

James grinned as he saw Sakina nudge Severus sharply, "Move it, Sev," she poked at him again.

Severus abruptly shot up almost cracking Sakina's chin with his head, "Huh?"

"I need to check on Rose," Sakina told the bewildered Severus.

"Sorry," he mumbled his reply in a pathetic voice and backed away. "When did her eyes close?"

James took a deep aggravated breath, but Lily surreptitiously tapped the back of his hand in warning and replied for him, "Five minutes or so."

Sakina finally straightened and looked James straight in the eye, "Why'd you call me?"

"What do you mean!?" James frowned in surprise and anger in her accusative town.

The trainee nurse rolled her eyes, "Lily woke me up in the middle of the night insisting that Rose was having some sort of fit. She hasn't got any injuries, she's only unconscious. Probably nervous exhaustion, she'll get up when she's ready to. It's not unheard of James, particularly in witches of Rose's calibre."

"Last time this happened Rose woke up sobbing and puked blood for about a week afterwards. I'm fairly certain her arm was broken but she managed to get it fixed before I could check. There was no warning and her eyes were open during the fit. She was _seeing_ something that the rest of us couldn't. " Severus finally bothered to let them know the extent of Rose's injuries.

Without wasting words, Sakina hurried to Rose with her wand out. The look on her face worried James. Something was seriously wrong; Sakina worked in silence, always. Now she was frowning, muttering spells and her wand emitted a faint scarlet glow. James' hand crept to touch Lily's forearm for comfort. Lily moved closer to him. Eventually Sakina straightened once more, "I can't do anything," she pronounced in a heavy voice.

"What do you mean, you can't _do_ anything," James asked in a hard voice.

"I don't know, she's breathing of her own accord, but it seems that I couldn't force her to wake up. She's not in a normal coma otherwise I could have woken her with magic. That suggests that the coma is magically self induced, meaning that Rose will wake if and when she is ready to do so. Meantime, I'll go talk to Madame Pomfrey about this and ask for Rose to be moved to Mungo's."

"Can't you do _anything_ to wake her up yourself?" James made sure he looked tall, strong and steady for Hugo, Lily and Severus.

"Only Rose can decide when she will wake up, it could be days, months even," Sakina's face showed sympathy for the family. It pissed James off.

"She won't be asleep long," James's head shot round to look at Severus's determined, resolute face.

"Oh yeah?" James sneered, "You heard Sakina, only _Rose_ knows when Rose'll wake up."

"Rose thinks sleep is boring," Severus said simply, "she won't be at it for long." He glared at Rose's body solidly, as if willing her to wake up there and then.

James found himself looking at the body as well. All five did, even while Sakina said something ridiculous about being sorry and left. All five did, even as minutes ticked by. All five watched, but James was the only one who noticed Rose's right middle finger twitch lightly. He leapt to her, "Rose listen to me," he commanded her clearly, as if talking to someone who could not understand English, "you have to wake up now! There's no one here except us and we're all freaking ourselves out," Rose's body shuddered slightly. James carried on, "honestly, I think Severus might shit himself if you don't wake up.' He felt a sudden jolt of sympathy for his brother; Rose was to him like Lily was to James. "We're all freaking out here. And I swear down, if you don't wake up right now, I will beat you awake girl."

Rose's eyes fluttered slightly but didn't open, "trust you, frog eyes, to threaten a gal when she's too slow to take you up," her voice murmured slowly.

James grinned, "Weakling," he greeted when her eyes finally did open.

"Not so hot yourself cuz," Rose grinned gently up at him.

Supporting her shoulder gently, James helped her sit up, "I always look good! The sleep obviously didn't cure you of your blindness."

"Keep telling yourself that," Rose closed her eyes again, trying to stay awake. A calm silence entered the room.

"So what happened?" Lily broke the quiet like a hammer.

Hugo hissed sharply, "Leave her alone, she'll tell us when she's ready. The two began to argue. Therefore only Severus and James noticed what Rose, with her suddenly wide eyes, was trying to say. Only they heard her.

"Scorpius Malfoy is back at Hogwarts."

**Hope you guys enjoyed.**

**No Scorpius Malfoy did something very very mean. If anyone can guess what he did they get a preview of the next chapter. The funniest idea also gets a preview!!**

**xxbluehyperpixiexx**


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm really sorry I took a while. Instead of grovelling for forgiveness**, **I'll just get straight to the story.**

**DISCLAIMER**

"Scorpius Malfoy is back at Hogwarts."

Severus jumped up, 'what?!'

'Scorpius Malfoy was invited to come back to Hogwarts by Professor. McGonagall,' Rose reiterated.

As one, Lily's brothers and cousins eyed her warily, 'So what,' she asked defiantly. Her voice was in complete contrast to her heart which had started to pump erratically.

'If you want, we can make him go away,' James sounded what they were all thinking.

_I know that but I don't want you fighting my battles _Lily thought. 'Five against one, that's hardly dignified,' Lily scoffed with a grandeur she was not feeling.

'A forth year and cronies assorted against a third year without a wand, is hardly fair,' growled James in anger. Her brother, Severus shared the same feeling, though he was more sedate in it. .

Hugo suddenly placed a hand on James' shoulder, 'We'll leave him alone on the condition that you practise duelling, and muggle combat, okay.' Rose's face softened in relief but her inside still churned as if they wanted to run away without her.

Hugo tugged on James and Severus's sleeves and walked out the door into the common room. James turned on him, 'How _dare_ you tell her that she has to deal with Malfoy herself,' Severus stood behind, his face thunder.

'She needs this,' Hugo insisted fiercely. 'Malfoy and his gits tortured her for three hours. Three hours, and she couldn't do anything. To her, it was a sign of weakness. In her head, she failed. To her, it was as if she _let_ him do it to her. Unless she fights him by herself on her own two feet, she'll never be able to let it go.'

A pause followed his words because even though this was Lily the baby of the family, in her place that's how they'd all be feeling. Eventually Severus said, 'to you expect me to let Malfoy hurt my little sister again?' But Hugo could tell that he understood and was only arguing for the sake of it.

'You think I'm going to let _my baby cousin_ go within a mile of Malfoy without me there.' Hugo made sure they knew he actually meant _I love Lily too you know_. Severus dropped his eyes realising that he had offended Hugo.

'She does not go anywhere by herself, not even the bathroom, without one of us there. Rose neither,' James pronounced finally.

"Rose can take..." Hugo trailed off as he realised that after today he couldn't be so sure. Instead he said, 'Rose and I will cover muggle fighting, Mum still insists on making us go to those Karate and Kickboxing lessons over holidays.'

'Severus and I will cover hexes, jinks etcetera,' James volunteered, 'we'll tell her later. What are we gonna to do about Rose. We can't cover for her again. It's too serious.'

'I wanted her to go the Hospital Wing last time, you all shot me down,' Hugo shrugged collapsing on one of the sofas. James murmured his assent. Severus was quietly contemplating the options.

James and Hugo waited patiently, recognising one of his long thinking sessions.

'Let Rose decide. She's not stupid and only _she_ really knows how serious it is. I say we ask her what she wants us to do and go with it,' Severus suggested eventually.

Sev turned to James for the final decision who replied, 'What do we do if she says no and then it happens again,' James voice was deliberate, dangerous.

'We drag her kicking and screaming to McGonagall,' Severus replied blithely, not even returning James Look.

Without reply, James turned and walked back into the girls' bedroom, 'Do you, or do you not want to get checked out by Pomfrey. Baring in mind that it was only by a random fluke you didn't die and only sheer willpower that woke you up?'

'I don't want to go,' Rose said looking straight at Severus, 'Not this time.'

'You sure,' James asked again so there could be no confusion.

'No, not this time,' Rose shook her head.

'If it happens again there won't be a choice,' Severus told her seriously.

'It won't.'

Severus nodded to her, noting that they were acting suddenly as if Rose had any control over her problem.

'Lily,' the girl in question turned to look at her eldest and favourite brother brightly, 'tomorrow after dinner, we're all going to the Room of Requirements to brush up on duelling and muggle combat, 'kay?'

Lily nodded, smiling gratefully at James. Severus felt that usual pang of jealously. James turned regally to Rose, his face asking if she was going to come.

'I think I'm going to spend tomorrow sleeping. I still feel like crap,' Rose said regretfully.

'That's that then,' James finished up, 'I'll take first watch.' Severus could just see the smugness on James's face as Rose fell for the bait.

'First watch?'

'Someone has to be here-just in case.'

**Okay let me know you forgive me with a review!**

**xxbluehyperpixiexx**


	5. Chapter 5

**My excuse: I was on holiday... not good enough I know. Here's a long one to make up for it.**

'Lily,' the girl in question turned to look at her eldest and favourite brother brightly, 'tomorrow after dinner, we're all going to the Room of Requirements to brush up on duelling and muggle combat, 'kay?'

Lily nodded, smiling gratefully at James. Severus felt that usual pang of jealously. James turned regally to Rose, his face asking if she was going to come.

'I think I'm going to spend tomorrow sleeping. I still feel like crap,' Rose said regretfully.

'That's that then,' James finished up, 'I'll take first watch.' Severus could just see the smugness on James's face as Rose fell for the bait.

'First watch?'

'Someone has to be here-just in case.'

'You sure you'll be okay to get back to the dorm,' Severus murmured to Rose.

'Stop fussing,' Rose scolded him in return, 'if I can't sleep, I'll probably come back anyway,' she hated lying to him like this. But things would be easier for him, for all of them like this. There was no sense in causing worry unnecessarily.

'Okay then, see ya,' a fleeting worry crossed his features. _I'm such a wuss_ Rose thought angrily to herself as she walked away. But she couldn't help feeling disloyal for leaving Severus alone with James and Lily for the next few hours without company. As soon as the door shut and disappeared behind them, Rose ran down to flights of stairs and headed west towards the staff classroom.

She skidded to a halt panting as the gargoyle sneered, 'Password?'

'Parchment,' she smirked back at them once she had quit feeling like she was going to buckle into a faint. She thought quick thanks in the direction of her Dad, Uncle Harry and James who between them knew everything about Hogwarts. They swung open quickly almost smacking her in the face. She play growled at the gargoyles and walked into the staff room.

'Naughty Rose! Who would've thought you knew the password to the staffroom. We'll have to change it again. You know how I am with passwords,' Neville attempted to scold her but the grin on his face contradicted him every second of the way.

'We'd still figure it out, so there really isn't a point, is there,' Rose glanced around to make sure no one else really was there and hugged Neville tightly, 'Mum and Aunt Ginny insisted that you and Aunt Mel come around over Easter for dinner.'

'We'll see,' Neville pulled out a chair for Rose and offered her tea, which she accepted. As he poured it into mugs Neville looked up and asked, 'So what really brings you here?'

Rose smiled ruefully, 'I need to speak to Headmistress McGonagall.'

Neville handed Rose her cup and sat down, 'I would've thought you knew _her_ password as well,' he raised an eyebrow playfully.

Rose made a face at him that said _ha ha_, 'Yeah, well! It's really important.'

'No one knew about Scorpius Malfoy coming back to Hogwarts,' Neville's face was perfectly blank.

'Except Headmistress McGonagall,' Neville nodded gently, 'and you evidently.' Neville nodded again. 'Why?' Rose asked.

'Though you and the rest of the students believed that Malfoy was expelled, the truth is, he wasn't.' Rose was outraged and she stood up because there was no other way to vent her anger without raising her voice. Neville held up a finger warningly, 'Do not try to blame us Rose; it was your fault, you and your family. After what you did to the boy in retaliation, we could hardly then expel him. Especially since we had no evidence of what he did and the whole world knew you were responsible for Malfoy's – er...predicament.

'He tortured Lily for hours, but because he was 15 he was only going to be expelled. What kind of justice was that,' asked Rose indignantly.

'What evidence was there enough to imply a Malfoy fully?' Neville snapped, 'They may not be pure evil any more but they still wield power,' Neville tugged on Rose's hand and forced her to sit on the chair again, 'That does not mean however, that we were going to let him get away with it. Do you ever wonder why you only got a week's detention each? Why no teacher appeared until after you were done with him? Why the Malfoy's suddenly thought it would be safer for Scorpius to move to a school in America?' Neville smiled and crouched down in front of Rose, his head cocked to one side in amusement. 'The whole world is not against you Rosaline Anne Granger-Weasley.'

'Why does he get to come back Uncle Neville,' Rose finally let her misery show.

Neville snapped his fingers behind Rose's ear and a sweet appeared which he gave to Rose as if she were a little girl again, 'I tried, Rose. Honestly! But lawfully, we have to let him return.'

'I just don't want him to hurt Lily again, I don't want him to hurt any of us,' Rose stood up, to go.

'And we won't let him,' Neville stood as well to walk her to the door. Just as he was about to shut the door behind her a thought occurred to him and he felt like kicking himself for not asking before, 'Rose,' he called after her, 'How did you know he was coming back?'

'There's nothing James doesn't know,' Rose asked but the ghosts in her eyes told differently. He watched thoughtfully until she disappeared around the corner. Still, he waited until her footsteps had died completely before walking towards the Headmistress' office. There was something he had to talk to Minerva McGonagall about.

'Please! Have Mercy‼' Lily dropped dramatically at her brother's feet.

'Come on! You can't be exhausted already,' Hugo nudged her gently with a toe.

She turned on him, 'How could you do this to me? You know that girls are weaker biologically.'

Hugo scoffed and turned to James, 'How come girls are all for equality but then always pull the 'weaker biologically' card whenever it suits them?'

James shook his head and shrugged. He then reached down to pull his baby sister up, 'Come on Kitten. We'll look up some more spells,' James led her away as Hugo and Severus took their stances for a fight.

'Don't hurt each other too much,' she called remembering the last time the two of them had got into a fight. Normally, the two of them weren't very competitive people but somehow when they were together… things went flying, to be vaguely precise.

They both rolled their eyes and then turned back to face each other warily. As they both looked at each other, Severus was recalling the broken arm and nose and Hugo thought of the dislocated knee and fractured collarbone. Lily sat next to her brother on a table and watched.

They circled, _typically_, both eying each other, daring the other to throw the first hit. In the end it was Hugo who cracked first. He crossed the three feet between them sharply with a quick crossover and then pivoted on his left foot to lift his right foot into a quick snap kick to the chest. But the distance had been too far and Severus had seen him coming. The older boy swung his left arm out and underneath the kick pulling Hugo off balance. Severus followed up with a _mawoshigari_ or a roundhouse kick to the head with his left foot. Instead of the side of his foot smacking into Hugo's head, his knee collided with Hugo's shoulder.

'Why didn't you twist behind me instead of straight _into_ me?' Severus backed off, to give Hugo time to recover. This was only practise so there was no need to pummel each other completely.

Hugo shook his head, trying to clear it, 'I've spent the last hour and a half training Lily. I am ever so _slightly_ tired.' Hugo moved towards Severus again, 'not that I'm complaining,' he flashed a grin at Lily, even as Severus punched him square in the stomach. But before Severus could pull it back to deliver a punch with his left fist, Hugo grabbed his right and twisted it behind him, triumphantly kicking Severus's legs out from beneath him. Severus dropped to one knee and swung his left leg round behind him to sweep Hugo. Hugo fell awkwardly but stood up quickly.

'Nice recovery,' he commented to Severus.

'I should be the one saying that, I don't think you even hit the floor,' Severus grinned back. Lily relaxed finally, knowing that things wouldn't get serious.

Hugo suddenly leapt on Severus with a barrage of blows, so fast that one of them had barely finished before another one was already flying. Punch to the head, punch to the stomach, left _mawoshigari_, reverse _mawoshigari_ (pivoting on his left foot while delivering a kick with the side of his right foot), immediately followed by a _cacomi_ (left thrust kick). Blocked, blocked, missed, barely blocked, HIT. Severus had no hope to miss the kick. Lily'd never seen Hugo move so fast. Hugo had barely dropped his right foot before he was pivoting on it and bringing his left knee to his right shoulder to kick into Severus's stomach with the heel of his foot. Severus flew into the wall behind him with the power of it.

Lily finally saw Rose as the red haired girl ran to check on Severus. Rose looked at her brother with an amazed grin, 'That was so,' she struggled to find a word, 'cool!' She only stared at him in awe for another second before murmuring to a crumpled Severus.

Lily turned to her older brother who was frowning slightly, 'There was no way that a kick at that speed should have so much power; the kick wouldn't have formed properly,' he murmured.

'A normal kick shouldn't have had so much power,' Lily whispered so as not to break his train of thought.

James face cleared and looked at his sister fondly, 'I believe something very odd is happening to us,' he said brightly.

'Again,' Lily added deadpan. She moved her feet as if uninterested out of the way as Severus ran over to grab the waste basket beneath their table to vomit spectacularly.

**(Where I wanted to end the chapter originally)**

'Do you think James will _really_ let me deal with Malfoy myself,' Lily asked a bored Rose as the both stood beneath drying cubicles in their bathroom.

'He won't want to, but between Hugo, Sev and I we can hold him,' Rose shrugged; she wasn't a touchy feely type especially with Lily and really didn't like spending hours next to her when she was in the mood to spill her guts.

'Yeah, it's just that he's really overprotective, and for once I want to do this myself,' Rose stepped out of the dryer with a towel wrapped around herself before replying.

'You can't expect him to stand by and let Malfoy beat you to a pulp but he does know that you need to do this,' Rose answered. In fact what she wanted to say was _He only thinks you need protecting because you practically attach yourself to him whenever possible. And because you're the only person who agrees with him over everything. And because you do everything he says. And you act like you have no mind of your own._

'Malfoy's not going to beat me up,' Lily said angrily.

'Which is why we're training every day of the week until you get it over and done with,' Rose responded blankly.

'You know we're going to have to go through the whole banter thing,' Lily hinted hesitantly.

'And what,' Rose refused to let her get away so easily.

Lily turned to her with much flattering of the eyelashes, 'Please,' she whined in a deliberately childish voice, 'Help your ickle baby cousin.'

'Whatev_er_,' Rose said, 'let's get started on that banter.' She led the way back to their bedroom.

**Sorry I know little comments in the middle of a story is annoying but it's only because I anted to ask you guys whether I should have left it where it sounded good or where the next chapter begins well?**

**xxbluehyperpixiexx  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**DISCLAIMER: All is said and done.**

Severus hitched his school bag up his shoulder and offered silently to take Rose's.

She shook her head, 'I'm fine,' she insisted. He began to protest, when Rose's eyes became horrified. Though her face had frozen in that glare of light hearted annoyance, her eyes began to flicker and her nostrils flared gently. Just as quickly, her face was forced into polite disinterest. Severus looked up to see a hideously familiar blonde haired figure deep in conversation with some of his equally stupid friends. Worried, he looked at his younger sister and had to hide a grin when he saw her. Lily had her shoulders thrown back steadily and walked with her head held perfectly high. James walked next to her, and although he couldn't see James's faces, Severus knew that his face would be shaped into polite indifference with only his eyes betraying any emotion, because James was too emotional to ever go really blank faced. Smoothly, the group pulled back until Lily was walking at the front, with James close behind; Rose, Hugo and Severus bought up the rear. Instead of walking past, however, Lily stopped directly behind Scorpius Malfoy and waited, determined to make him look at her.

In vain, Malfoy attempted to ignore her presence, talking loudly to his old friends about his old school in America. Eventually, it got to the point where the whole corridor was silent and Malfoy was forced to acknowledge Lily's presence by turning to face her. His lips were turned up in his usual sneer, one identical to his father's old one. Malfoy senior hadn't been particularly gorgeous, according to Severus's mum, he had always had his hair slicked back and with his cold eyes and rough sneer, no one had dared approach him outside purebloods and Slytherins. However, Scorpius Malfoy's eyes were a brown that always seemed warm from his mother and instead of the pale complexion his father had, his was a more of a cream colour and now tanned lightly. With his mussed white, blonde hair and casual demeanour, he seemed the confident, clever, cute boy that everyone liked. It wasn't until he opened his mouth that you realised what a foul bastard he was.

Malfoy raised an eyebrow, questioning her silently. Lily held her ground and shook her straight red hair back, 'You came back,' she stated bluntly. The slight echo she placed on her 'k' suggested her disgust.

'Yes, but it was a difficult decision considering what I would return to,' Malfoy swept her up and down with his eyes distastefully. However, Lily had the savvy school girl look down pat. Her hair was in a messy ponytail and her school skirt was shorter than regulation but not too short; that, coupled with her fitted blouse and a pashmina scarf resting trendily around her neck and across chest made her look exceptionally cute. Her cloak was night black and perfectly fitted. Her skin was flawless, thanks to a light layer of foundation, her face dusted with blusher, her eyes were covered in eye shadow only one shade lighter than her natural skin tone and lined with a light layer of pitch black eyeliner. Hardly a figure of disgust.

'Whatever Malfoy! Things are not the same as they used to be,' Lily edged closer to him intimidatingly.

'Oh yeah,' Malfoy hissed and closed the gap till there was only inches between their faces.

'Absolutely! People grow up, grow smarter, grow stronger,' she ended on dangerously low note.

'Can't see it from where I'm standing,' Malfoy moved back with his nose wrinkled.

'Oh, but you will," Lily threatened in a barely audible whisper, her lips curled up in a small smirk. She turned calmly and the end of her ponytail smacked him lightly across the face before she stalked away. Without looking back, Severus and the rest of them followed her out of the castle. She was composed as she made her way out to the old oak tree slightly ahead of them. Finally she stopped and paused.

Lily turned shakily to her brother. James looked back at her with approval in his eyes. She threw her arms around him as soon as he was close enough. Eventually she let go and surveyed him through round eyes.

'You did good,' James commented and the rest nodded their heads vigorously in agreement.

'I was so scared,' she breathed in a trembling voice.

'You would never have been able to tell,' James told her and gently pulled out of her grip.

--

Lily woke one night to fierce cramps in her stomach. Screwing her body against the pain she did some quick calculations in her head and came up with a swear word. _Lily you twat; how could you forget_ she silently berated herself. Tomorrow- Tonight she was going to start her period and she'd forgotten to stock up on the numbing potion that would have helped her get through the first one or two days of stabbing cramps.

Swearing at herself simultaneously in English, French, German, Japanese and Latin, she pulled her dressing gown over her vest and shorts and slipped into her trainers. Without bothering to leave a note, Lily slipped out of their dormitory and made her way over to the hospital wing.

_Damn, a light_! Lily stopped and pressed herself into an alcove. She had a perfectly legitimate reason for being out after curfew but if Professor Aricanella or Lewandellyn found her she would be in trouble, legitimate reason or not. Suddenly, Lily grinned. It couldn't be Lewandellyn because he walked with a cane and Aricanella had broken her leg yesterday and was banned from walking for a few days. Composed once more, Lily slid out of her hiding place ready to greet whoever it was with a warm smile. The smile froze to a grimace and she kicked herself for not just staying hidden. Malfoy looked back at her with his face perfectly blank except for an eyebrow raised in either interest or amusement. Lily knew she ought to feel scared, terrified even. But with Malfoy just looking at her blankly, she found it difficult to feel anything other than curiosity. That more than anything worried her the most. Still, Malfoy looked at her blankly. Lily started to feel as she should; scared at the way Malfoy was looking at her, completely and slightly ludicrously blank.

'Malfoy, are you feeling okay,' she asked him slowly .

His face snapped to normal, 'of course I am Potter. I can't say the same for you.' His sneer turned feral.

Now, Lily felt on more comfortable ground, not that that made her feel any less shit scared. 'Why do you say that?'Lily asked, refusing to step back even slightly.

'Oh? Whoops. I forgot about the dyslexia.' Malfoy sneered at her.

Not even attempting to hide her scorn she replied, 'That's more proof that things have changed. Cheap shots like that just make me laugh.' It was true that Lily had a mild form of dyslexia. It had once made her life difficult but the "incident" with Malfoy had put a lot of things into perspective. It didn't even bother her anymore. In fact, it made her life easier with extra time on exams, teachers always made extra time for her to ensure she understood lessons and they ignored the little mistakes on her homework. 'In fact, Malfoy, I thought you were rather above those kinds of pathetic insults, akin to dissing someone's mother. I thought you had a drop more class.' Lily decided she was bored of mindless chatter and began to circle Malfoy with her hand wrapped tightly around her wand.

'Oh, I do have class, I just don't waste it on those of the lowest status,' he pulled his wand out and aimed it at her casually.

Lily chose only to reply, 'Do you not _know_ who my parents are? Status? My family were moved to a separate dormitory because we were mobbed everywhere we went.'

'_Your_ father-,' Scorpius spat but Lily cut him off.

'Silenzio,' she cried whipping out her wand. It was a method James had taught her. Students were only taught non verbal magic in sixth year at the earliest legally, and even then it was ludicrously difficult. Hopefully, because of his inability to speak, his magic would be less effective. Malfoy doubled up, poking at his throat with his wand. Lily laughed. It had been so easy. _Too easy,_ echoed in her mind as Malfoy straightened triumphantly.

'Pathetic,' he announced perfectly clearly.

_Stupid, stupid girl _Lily berated herself for not disarming him straight away. Malfoy, however, did not make the same mistake.

'Expelliarmius,' he hissed. Lily tried desperately to keep hold of her only chance to get her own back. But it slipped out of her hands, far out of reach.

Lily thought only vaguely about evening the odds against her, before her body automatically kicked his wand out of his hand. Almost as if on autopilot she kicked it far away as Hugo had drilled into her for three hours only a few days ago. She pulled back into a casual stance, her face showing no sign that she was mentally berating herself for kicking away something she could have used against Malfoy. Because of her own stupidity, here she was in a dark empty corridor against someone almost a foot taller and probably 50 pounds heavier. Even though James had been training her to the point of collapse for the past two and a half weeks to deal with this exact situation she knew she wouldn't be getting away easily.

_Help me out here big bad. A sudden freak earthquake wouldn't go amiss_ she thought sending a quick seemingly unanswered prayer.

Scorpius looked furious. His eyes flashed and it looked like every muscle in his body had been tensed. 'What the fuck are you playing at?'

'I will not let you hurt me again,' Lily stated mostly for herself.

'Grow up,' Malfoy snarled, 'It happened years ago. You were gagging for it.'

'It's been 2 years, 4 months and 16 days since you and your friends decided to have your little Halloween warm up. I have never forgotten. I never will. I can't,' Lily snapped and punched him square.

He'd not expected it, not seen it coming, never thought that tiny Lily Potter was capable of such violence. Scorpius staggered back, more from shock than pain; she hadn't even drawn blood. 'You shouldn't have,' he drawled sarcastically and flew at her. He shoved Lily against the wall heard and pinned her to it. 'You're lucky my mother taught me not to hit girls, not even scum like you.'

Lily fought the urge to swing her legs even though Malfoy had her pinned so hard they were barely touching the floor.

'It didn't stop you THEN,' she screamed and wrenched her knee up swiftly between his legs. Malfoy pulled away clutching himself. He was almost kneeling as Lily raised her leg and kicked him hard in his nose. 'And it had better not stop you now!' She felt satisfied as Malfoy looked at her in shock with blood pouring out of his nose. He smacked her swiftly in retaliation. Scorpius reached to do it again but Lily was already moving to kick him in the side. Because she was so close to him, the kick had no power behind it. However, it was enough for Malfoy to pull himself out of reach gasping. The five fingered imprint of his hand blazed scarlet on her cheek. But her eyes held determination and defiance. Malfoy snarled strangely and leapt on her. Lily wasn't prepared for this, unstructured violence. It was like expecting a fairy tale and instead getting a smack from your favourite character right at the end. No happily ever after here. Not with Malfoy's left arm managing to trap both her arm and torso against a wall while his right fist banged into her stomach over and over.

'Puke-…urgh-over you,' Lily managed to grunt, however Malfoy seemed possessed, mechanically hitting her over and over.

As Lily stopped struggling she noticed strangely that she wasn't in any pain. She could feel Malfoy's fist curl deep into her stomach, but it didn't actually hurt. That ruled out the idea that she was so hurt that her body couldn't feel anything. It was odd; considering that a hard slap angled correctly at her lower stomach could leave her crying. Usually. Lily filed it away, to tell James later. Her bare toes struggled for purchase on the floor. She found something and tried to stand on it but it rolled away.

_Wand _she thought frantically. Lily knocked her head against Malfoy's skull like she'd seen in movies.

'Ow,' she whimpered her eyes ran, even though they were fiercely shut against the pain. She groped wildly on the floor as Scorpius came at her again. He kicked her in the kidney. She rolled away before he could strike again. Bringing the wand up, she swallowed hard against the bile rising up her throat. Though her heart pounded and her arms felt like lead spikes, her stomach was mush, the back of her throat tasted bitter and blood pounded in her head, Lily was wonderfully calm. Her mind rapidly counted and discounted spells before finally settling on one she'd only ever heard of. She didn't know precisely what it did, but she knew her father had once used it to end a deadly duel against Scorpius Malfoy's father.

_The circle turns_ thought Lily of a book she'd once read, 'SECTUMSEMPRA!,' she screamed at him. The wand which she only now noticed was Malfoy's jerked hard in her hand. Green light that was so bright it seemed a blinding white seared her eyes and when her sight cleared she was horrified. Malfoy lay on the floor, drowning in his own blood. Lily looked away for a second; gulping desperately as she thought she saw something that looked horribly like his intestines sliding in the void of his stomach. Sobbing, she wiped blood away from his face. Relief flooded her as she felt shallow breath tickle her palm. Then despair crashed on top of her when she realised she had no idea what to do. James had taught her how to deal with basic injuries. But all of it had disappeared from her mind and giant gashes gushing blood were hardly basic injury.

'Listen to me Malfoy. I am going to get help. Stay calm, I'll be right back okay,' she got up and ran towards the Hospital Wing. _Stay alive_ she pleaded silently.

**Malfoy is going to die if you don't review. Oh wait, that might stop you guys reviewing...**

**xxbluehyperpixiexx**


	7. Chapter 7

**DISCLAIMED**

'You should go back to bed Lily,' Sakina looked at her over the body.

'No,' Lily hadn't moved in over an hour and something inside her didn't want to change that. Scorpius Malfoy had been rushed to the Hospital Wing where a now grey haired Madame Pomfrey had him moved into a single bedded room and then swiftly thrown Lily out.

After an agonizing forty minute wait, Madame Pomfrey had come out grim faced. Thankfully, no one had yet asked Lily what had happened. She was praying no one would.

'Lessons start in three hours,' Sakina walked round the bed towards Lily. She leant down before her, 'What happened Lily.' Sakina's face held no accusation, only concern.

Lily could feel the lie rear up in her stomach and burst from her lips, 'I don't know. I found him like that.' Lily was usually okay at lying to people who didn't know her but she was tired, terrified and possibly accountable for attempted murder. The lie showed on her face. Sakina looked at her for a moment longer before walking away. The night had taken its toll on even her gifted abilities.

Lily waited and watched the body.

Although she felt like she was overdosed on caffeine, two hours later Lily felt her eyes dull. She almost missed it when Malfoy began to stir. A low whimper began to emerge from deep beneath his ribs. Lily rushed to his side, 'Don't move.' She commanded.

'It hurts,' Malfoy moaned and squeezed his eyes shut.

'It will. Madame Pomfrey didn't want to risk using magic on your vital organs. She had to stitch them up like Muggles do. You're not to move else you'll rip them,' Lily felt like she was beyond herself. Part of her felt terrible for him but the other half insisted that Malfoy deserved every bit of the pain he was going through. That part also told her she should kick him open and run.

'How bad was it?'

'It cut your stomach in two and split your intestines in loads of places. All the acid and shit from them poisoned your body. You're gonna feel like crap for days,' Lily sat down on the bed next to him and held his hand. _Kindness is the worst form of insult_ was something Lily's mother had once told her. Malfoy would feel pathetically grateful for some sympathy right now, but later on when he was feeling better…he'd hate himself. Lily smiled. It perhaps wasn't for the best of intentions but a good deed was a good deed. And in regards to social status what could be kinder than slicing Malfoy open and then donating him 2 pints of blood and staying with him until he recovered. _Strange how the world worked._ Malfoy squeezed her hand tightly in pain as he nudged up slightly to give her room. Feeling, like her little finger was broken, Lily pushed some of his hair out of his face. 'Do you want some water?' Malfoy grunted gently. She took it as a yes and went to knock on Madame Pomfrey's office. There was no answer and Lily, assuming she was asleep, stole some water from the pitcher sitting next to some sleeping second year.

'Here,' she didn't have a cup so she tried to dribble some into his mouth. Scorpius choked and tears slipped down his cheeks as his chest struggled to clear his throat.

'Bitch! Could you not have warned me?' Scorpius hissed as his mind suddenly cleared and he realised _exactly_ who she was.

'Don't you start calling _bitch_,' Lily snarled, so angry that she wasn't making sense.

'I'll call you anything I fucking well want. Because of you most of internal organs decorated a corridor,' Scorpius rasped. The depth of his hatred seemed to be suffocating him.

'Don't you bloody talk to me about pain. Don't you fucking DARE!' Pausing to catch her breath, Lily noticed some of the patients outside the room were stirring against the noise. She shut the door and hissed at him, 'They considered giving me a heart transplant! You punctured my right lung-I needed a gastric band for two months, I couldn't go to the toilet without a healer for 2 and a half months and don't even _ask_ what happened to my kidneys. I was in hospital for _**9**_ months. The healers told my parents that even if I survived that the chances were that I would be blind, unable to walk and possibly insane,' Lily desperately wiped at the tears covering her face, 'I only stopped going counselling 4 months ago! As it is, I have to take 6 pills for my kidney every day, I'm asthmatic, have to be _ludicrously_ careful with what I eat, had to learn had to write with my left hand-DON'T TALK TO ME ABOUT PAIN!' Malfoy winced as she stalked closer to his bed. Lily ripped up her vest. 'And you know what,' Lily sounded almost hysterical now, 'they still haven't figured out what you did to my stomach to stop it from healing 2 and a half years since you did it!' In the dim light Scorpius could just make out a bandage wrapped around Lily's flat stomach. There was a dark slash of scarlet across it.

'You're bleeding,' he groaned.

Lily glanced down and her face froze, 'brilliant,' she hissed. Gathering up her gown from where it had dropped in her rage, Lily stalked over to Malfoy and narrowed her eyes at him. 'So when you sit there, _moaning_ about how much pain you're in? You better remember what you did to me! _Because of you I will never have children_.' There was no sign of the pain from the rip in her flesh affecting her. Lily turned, dry eyed and statuesque, looking like breathtaking as she walked away.

Hugo bolted awake as water dripped into his nose. He coughed heavily trying to clear his throat. Eventually, he managed to turn his bleary eyes to his baby cousin, 'Wazgoino Li,' he slurred.

'My cut opened up,' Lily whispered as the pain gently intensified in her eyes.

Realising the importance of what had happened, he shook himself awake. 'Poor baby,' he murmured giving her a sympathetic look. 'Let's go into the kitchen.' Quickly attempting to throw his covers into some kind of order, he tried to arrange his thoughts to make some kind of sense in the same way. He swung her up onto the counter as if she was only a child. Lily silently pulled her vest up to reveal the sodden bandage. 'Is it around your -you know?'

Lily smiled faintly at Hugo's embarrassment in regards to her period, 'Um hum,' she answered nodding that he was right.

He unwrapped the bandage trying not to add any more to Lily's discomfort, 'That shouldn't have done this though. I mean, it does make life difficult but it shouldn't have ripped,' blood began to dribble from the wound so he kicked open the cupboard underneath Lily. He pulled a sterilized cloth from its covering and guided Lily's hand to hold it. He then stopped and looked Lily dead in the eye, 'What _really_ happened Lily?'

'Nothing! I just woke up to find it bleeding,' she protested in vain.

'_Lily_. Do you want me to wake James up right now?'

'Nothing happened,' she tried to shrug the threat off. Hugo only Looked at her, 'Only if you promise not to tell him.' There was no need to ask who _he_ was. Hugo nodded frowning slightly.

'I woke up with cramps and you know how bad they get if I don't have numbing potion.' Lily's wounds had reached down into her uterus. Things like period cramps felt like she was being stabbed, the chances were that the pain of pregnancy would kill her so she would never be allowed to have babies. 'So I went to get some from Madam Pomfrey,' Lily shook her head at the outraged expression on Hugo's face, 'I know it was stupid. But it's over now and there's nothing I can do about. On the way I ran into Malfoy…' Lily trailed off into a murmur hoping Hugo wouldn't understand. However, Hugo picked up his wand and seemed to be on the verge of running straight of the kitchen when he breathed deeply and turned back around and pulled a sterilized needle out of the packet silently, mechanically. Lily praised the fact that unlike the rest of his family Hugo seemed to have a bit of self control which was strange considering according to her Mum and Dad Uncle Ron had _zero_ patience. 'Anyways if you think this is bad, you should have seen him.' Her quiet laugh caught and she bit hard into her bottom lip as the needle pierced the flesh on one side of the cut. She grabbed Hugo's shoulder like a vice and tears slipped out of her eyes.

Hugo throat caught as he pushed the needle back into her already blood stained skin. He felt some odd feeling right at the bottom of his throat. It reminded him of strong mints. The way when you had a mint and could feel the essence of it rolling off in waves. It was like that mint had lodged so tightly in his throat that his jaw ached. He tied the knot exactly as the healer had taught him and pulled it firmly tight, he then gently pushed it into her inflamed skin again as he winced because the feeling in him sharpened simultaneously.

As the headmistress's owl rapped on the window insistently and Hugo looked at Lily anxiously, he didn't know that the reason he was feeling Lily's pain, that Lily's spell had had such dramatic effects and their general increase in strength, even Malfoy's return was all going to be explained in two hours from now.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Expo tomorrow, I'll be in the dress and waistcoat surrounded by pokemon and nurse jenny. xx**

Assembled in front of the Headmistress's gargoyle apprehensively two hours later at 7 o'clock sharp that same day where five immaculately dressed students. The way they always did when called to the Head's office they were dressed from top to bottom in perfect school uniform. In light of the circumstances, James had even insisted that they all polish their shoes and he'd _tried _to fix Severus's hair. Ginny Potter and Grammy Molly, especially, had always believed that looking good could get you out of any trouble.

James smirked slightly as he remembered four Christmases ago when Dad had been an hour late to the official family Christmas dinner and had finally staggered in covered in mud, with his clothes ripped and twigs stuck in his hair. Some insane fan had managed to steal Dad's broom and he'd had to apparate and then walk the rest of the way home. Mum had gone ballistic and it was simply fabulous to watch his Dad shrink, dripping rain water on the floor, at Mum's wrath. Once Mum had disappeared in a huff Grammy had said 'honestly Harry! You could have attempted to clean yourself up before coming in. Ginny would not have been half as mad otherwise' scolding Dad lightly. Dad had grinned bashfully and followed Mum out. They'd finally come back Dad wet and clean and Mum simply wet laughing, with their arms tight around each other.

James jerked out of his reverie as he realised Lily was gripping his hand tightly. He glanced at her sidelong. Her nose flared ever so slightly and her back rigid. Lily's brother squeezed her hand and then pulled his hand out of hers as footsteps sounded behind them.

The group turned to face McGonagall as she approached the gargoyle. 'I've just been in to see Mr Malfoy,' she commented lightly as she passed them into the pearly white statue guarding her office. 'Stature, dignity and knowledge.' The gargoyle began to turn making the area around it shake. 'Never quite the same,' McGonagall seemed to murmur before turning to them with a grim smile, 'Keep a note of the password Mr Potter. I have a feeling you'll need it.' She then stepped aside indicating for them to go first onto the revolving stairs.

James exchanged a fleeting look with Lily to ask her what McGonagall meant about visiting Malfoy. Her glance was saturated with guilt. The door to the Headmistress's office was open so they trooped in and sat down on chairs that were waiting for them in a line in front of her table. McGonagall shut the door behind her and sat in her chair and looked at each of them from left to right. Hugo, Severus, Rose, Lily and James all looked back at her, their faces all looking slightly guilty.

"What happened on the first of March?"

All five of them did a double take. Quickly recovering, Rose felt the others' expectance hit from all angles and she realised that she _really_ didn't want to talk about it. Severus's hand brushed hers slightly, reminding her of his support.

Rose straightened up and looked Professor McGonagall in the eye. 'I don't really know how it happened.' Her voice has low and hesitant. It seemed as though she was choosing her words very carefully. 'I had this feeling right here,' she indicated her solar plexus. McGonagall nodded at her to continue. 'It was like a tugging but it burned slightly and it _tingled_ like- like pins and needles. And I felt shivery, really shivery, like when you get really hyper. And then I felt like I was going on a broom really fast. But then-,' her animated face closed up rapidly and she seemed to retreat into herself. Rose's eyes hooded and she tugged at her shirt uncomfortably. Then her fingers reached for Severus instinctively and grabbed at his hand. He pinched the web of skin between her thumb and forefinger lightly. Rose squeezed his finger and breathed in deeply before continuing, 'It was awful. I don't know how to describe it. It could be beautiful, there were trees and plants everywhere. But the sky's like a reflection of molten blood and the river was sludgy and it's filled with bones and organs and- there's this screaming. You can't get away from it. It's always there, like billions of banshees constantly shrieking,' Rose wiped her eyes and tried to get to the point, 'I heard something behind me. I didn't know what it was but I was scared and decided to leg it. I kept running. The ground suddenly disappeared from under me and I was falling down the slope of a hill. I landed really awkwardly on my ankle and arm and I was pretty certain I'd fractured my ankle. I'd been lying there for a while when I thought I heard the sound of a stream nearby. I was tired and thirsty and I know it was stupid but I headed for it. I know that lakes and rivers always have animals nearby but I couldn't think clearly and I was so exhausted. But this one was so different from the other one. It was clean and clear blue and there was nothing else around, no animals or anything. I was trying to drink from it when the lake water went solid. I couldn't touch it either. It looked like water but it was different.

'That was when I found out about Malfoy. I saw him and his parents sitting here with you Professor. I couldn't make out all the words but I got the gist of it. You were inviting Malfoy back to Hogwarts. His parent's didn't want him to but you kept insisting. You said something about keeping Malfoy safe and that he'd have guards. Then I heard something coming out of the trees so I ran to hide. Next thing I know James is leaning over me and I felt fine- well better.' Rose looked slightly exhausted as she finished her story and slumped in her chair looking slightly guilty.

'What else happened Miss Granger-Weasley?' Professor McGonagall gave her a Look.

Rose shot up in her chair looking bewildered, 'What do you mean? Nothing else _happened_.'

'I am not Headmistress for nothing Rosaline.'

'I thought I saw Lily at the lake,' Rose ducked her head as all four of the others heads turned to her.

'Elaborate please,' Professor McGonagall didn't seem at all surprised Rose noted.

Rose considered her words carefully, 'I saw a figure standing by the lake. I couldn't tell who it was at first. But then Lily's voice come out of its mouth. She said "Five minutes or so" and I realized then that it was Lily. Just before she spoke her finger poked something lightly, like she does when she's telling James to calm down. She wasn't _there_, but I could see her.' All of their eyes' turned to Professor McGonagall to see her reaction. Her lips were turned into the ghost of a smile but her eyes were sad, regretful almost.

'I see,' McGonagall sighed gently, 'Did you feel anything just before you woke up.'

Relieved that she wasn't being told off she shook her head, 'Nothing.'

'I see.'

Anxiously Lily jerked forward in her chair to ask her questions. Simultaneously, both her and Hugo cried slightly and clutched their stomachs. Though Lily looked fine, droplets of blood appeared on Hugo's shirt as if from a gash on his stomach. Before they could even react McGonagall was out her chair and pulling up Hugo's shirt. The shocked boy pulled himself out of McGonagall's grasp and deep into the back of his chair.

However, instead of giving a reaction, the headmistress turned to Lily, 'pull up your shirt girl.'

'_Excuse_ me,' James stood up in outrage.

'You cannot even begin to imagine what is happening to your family Mr Potter. Sit down.' McGonagall appeared to have calmed down a little though and stated in a softer voice, 'I will explain but I need to see your bandage Miss. Potter.'

Lily pulled her school blouse up warily and showed McGonagall the perfectly clean bandage.

McGonagall glanced back at Hugo's blood stained shirt and sat down behind her desk.

'I suppose Harry has told you about what happened the night his godfather died,' she addressed her question to James.

'He fell through some kind of curtain thing. Dad called it the Veil. Once he fell in Sirius couldn't come out, he was trapped,' James didn't know much else, his father found it difficult to talk about even though it had happened years ago. If Severus knew more he hadn't told James.

'Actually it translates closer into the _Arch_,' James jumped out of his chair and faced the ghost with his wand in his hand. 'Wands don't hurt ghosts, dummy.'

'Just because it doesn't hurt you directly it doesn't mean he can't use it to hurt you indirectly,' Lily glanced behind her to make sure that the other three where in their almost trademarked back to back circle with wands at the ready. McGonagall had been acting strange and now a ghost had snuck up on them.

'Now calm down all of you'. The soothing voice of Albus Dumbledore, the very late head teacher had everyone in the room's attention turned to him immediately. The kids had had it drummed into them very early on in life that they were never _ever_ to disrespect Albus Dumbledore, not even his portrait.

'Sorry sir,' James mumbled guiltily but didn't lower his wand.

'You do not point a wand at your head mistress, it is impolite. If a ghost has arrived into the office it is for your own good. Your teacher has your best interests at heart,' there was a slight sigh from McGonagall at this point, 'and you treat her guest like family. Yes?'

'Yes Professor Dumbledore,' the chorused like the children they really were.

Still tense, they all returned back to their seats with the ghost perching on McGonagall's desk. In fact he was actually hovering a few millimetres above it. 'Veil, Arch same difference,' James tried to shrug off his discomfort.

'Actually there is a difference,' the ghost replied scornfully, 'Veil suggests covering which is not what it is, Arch is, however, similar to doorway which is what you could call it.'

'Doorway to what'. James rebutted as soon as the ghost finished talking.

The ghost looked disgustedly at McGonagall with some sort of question on his face though it was impossible to tell what. 'Sirius, don't insult your godson's children.' She admonished.

GODSON? All five of them shouted aloud in their head at once so loud the ghost seemed to flinch from the volume of it.

Hugo figured it out first as he had already had his suspicions from as soon as he'd seen the ghost. 'You're Sirius Black,' he stated. It wasn't a question.

'Duh. Who did you think I was, the cookie fairy?' He sighed at five blank faces, 'Before your time.'

No one really knew quite what to say until James finally spoke. 'So what's going on, Professor? Dead people stay dead in the world I know.'

'James,' Lily gave him a Look: don't be rude.

'James?' Sirius repeated with a slight smile.

'Yeah, yeah. James Potter the best friend you used to terrorise the school with. Old news,' for some Sirius Black's ghost was really rubbing him up the long way. It had been a long time since someone had teased him other than family.

Sirius looked furious at the callous way James spoke about his grandfather and seemed ready to smack him when Rose finally spoke up. 'Hate to break up the love fest but could we please stay on track. I would like to know what's going on so shut up the both of you.' Rose didn't look angry but glared between Sirius and James, her hard face daring them to argue.

'And you are,' Sirius raised an eyebrow. He was really quite good looking.

'Rosaline Anne Granger-Weasley. Pleased to meet you,' she instinctively bought her hand out, and then bought it back to herself without a trace of embarrassment. _How do you shake hands with someone without a body?_ She sufficed with a clumsy wave. 'This is Hugo Ronald Granger-Weasley, my younger brother. These three are James, Lily Ginevra and Albus Severus. They are Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny's children. Now could you stop holding-'

Sirius had jumped up and was looking at Severus like he had sprouted tentacles. 'Severus, as in Snape?' His face was a cross of horror and disgust.

An insulted Severus jumped up and though he was shorter looked Black straight in the eye. 'Yeah you got a problem with it. I notice he didn't name any of his kids after you. Don't you think that means something?'

Rose had finally decided enough was enough. 'Stop it Severus, you know _full_ well why Uncle Harry didn't name any of his kids after his godfather!'

Meanwhile Hugo, which was odd as he never really bothered to speak if he didn't have to, had stepped in front of a suddenly deflated Black, "Technically we're all family so we can we _please _try to keep it civil. Any questions you can take up with Uncle Harry,' he turned to Rose who nodded that everything was all right on her side. Finally the both sat down.

'Family reunion over?' Professor McGonagall gently admonished them all. 'Sirius Black is here for a reason. I only know the present half of the story; he has to tell you of the past.'

None of them answered, they were just waiting for whatever bombshell was about to hit them


End file.
